COLUMBIA, S.C. — This week DHEC named three hot spots across the state, including Horry, Greenville and Lexington Counties.
As the numbers continue to rise again, officials with Medical University of South Carolina said the public continue wearing masks.
“Misbehaving has shown up in the statistics DHEC is reporting,” Michael Schmidt said.
Michael Schmidt is a professor of microbiology and immunology at MUSC. He said the recent increase in COVID-19 cases is because the lack of social distancing and people not wearing mask out in public.
In the past two weeks the state has reset the daily record for new cases several times.
“The problem is no one knows how it is going to behave in us, we just don't know how it's going to behave in me, I don’t know how it's going to behave in you,” Schmidt said. “Given that South Carolina has a lot of venerable people, out of respect I would wear a mask to protect my fellow humans, at the same time I would advocate that you wash your hands on a regular basis."
Also this week, the World Health Organization clarified comments about asymptomatic spread of COVID-19. They said it's still a big open question and Dr. Schmidt said more studies need to be done.
“Asymptomatic spreading is something you and I are doing right now, I’m not wearing a mask right now and so consequently any of the moisture that comes out of my speaking voice is actually hitting my screen and so consequently if you were sitting in a normal interview mode my potentially contaminated vapor would be striking you and could make you sick," Schmidt said.
He also added the importance of continuing to wear a mask. As far as hot spots around the state are concerned Schmidt said the worry now is if cases will rise after the many protest we've seen around the state and country.
“It's not a surprise that we are seeing hot spots especially in areas the population density is greater and that's effectively why DHEC is concerned with the uptick in numbers we'll see next week,” Schmidt said.
Schmidt said MUSC has never stopped preparing because they know there will be a second wave.